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Should Andy Reid be Suspended, Fined or Fired?

Should Andy Reid, coach of the NFL franchise Philadelphia Eagles be suspended by his team’s owner or the National Football League for his role in recent court cases involving two of his children? Are all of the actions under scrutiny by the courts purely the responsibility of Reid’s sons Britt and Garrett Reid? If a judge has likened an NFL coaches home to “a drug emporium” does the league’s stated priority of protecting the brand mandate that Reid be relieved of coaching duties? If not, why not? If so, for what time period? Does coach Reid’s involvement merit a long-term suspension? What is the responsibility of the team owner to the fans of Philadelphia?

The Associated Press is reporting:

Andy Reid is digging in.

The Philadelphia Eagles coach insisted he will not resign Friday, a day after a judge sentenced Reid’s two sons to prison and likened his home to a “drug emporium.”

Asked whether he intended to stay on the job, a steely-eyed Reid delivered a stern, one-word answer: “Yes.”

At least one of his peers thought that may not be the best approach.

“If that situation comes up in anybody’s family, I would think you would have to take a hard look at taking time off, of doing something to try and salvage the thing,” said Reid’s longtime friend and mentor, Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.

Reid took a five-week absence earlier this year. At his regular news conference Friday, he said more about his sons’ legal problems than he had previously.

The report continues:

On Friday, prosecutors charged 24-year-old Garrett Reid with five additional drug counts related to 89 pills he had smuggled into prison. His cellmate said he saw Reid remove the pills from his rectum and that Reid offered him some of the pills.

On Thursday night, police searched the Reid home to corroborate the cellmate’s story. The coach’s wife, Tammy Reid, provided investigators with prescriptions in Garrett Reid’s name and a search of his room turned up other prescriptions in his brother’s name. They also found two syringes and eight needles in his room, according to prosecutors.

On Thursday, Montgomery County Judge Steven O’Neill called the Reids a “family in crisis” and questioned whether brothers Britt and Garrett Reid should return to their parents’ home after they serve their jail terms.

“There isn’t any structure there that this court can depend upon,” O’Neill said.

I’d be curious to know what former Eagle and advocate of the league’s stricter conduct code, Troy Vincent, thinks of these developments.

Hmmm. I wonder if Troy ever visited the Drug Emporium as a player. Or better yet, I wonder if he was surprised by the news.

Perhaps the Two Live Stews could get Troy on the phone. It would seem to me that Troy and Gene Upshaw should have a great deal to say about this. If Wade Wilson drew a significant suspension, it would seem to me that coaches are not exactly above the law. The question of how the rules should be applied in this situation probably merit some comment from the NFLPA and esteemed veterans who are said to have influenced the vote.

At first, I thought the media storm around Reid’s sons was the typical celebrity scandal-mongering run amok. Whether one relative is a junky and another a drug-dealer really is of no relevance for me doing my job, or Andy Reid doing his.

But… dammit T3, you reminded me of Goodell The Hanging Judge’s interpretation of the conduct code and I’m suddenly reconsidering. If Pacman Jones can be suspended by association with ne’er-do-wells at a strip club, then shouldn’t Reid be similarly disciplined for the actions of folks living under his roof?

I don’t know exactly what the league’s take would be on this – but given the standards which have been applied to other persons (including coaches), there seems to be very little equity in not handing down a suspension to Reid.

I may be wrong about this, but I understood the league’s Code of Conduct to apply to all persons in the employ of franchises and the league. While players have garnered the greatest scrutiny, I understood that even folks like Wade Wilson could be punished under this new code.

As such, Reid has clearly demonstrated a long term pattern of bad judgment which has resulted in his aiding and abetting a narcotics ring from his home. If your name is on the deed and adults engage in criminal behavior in your home, there should be some culpability under the league’s new code.

Of course, the case of Atlanta’s DE Kearney was a bit different. A rape was committed in his home and all parties concerned indicated he had no knowledge or involvement of any kind. I would argue that’s substantively different from Reid’s case. While I would imagine the Reid home could be large enough to have areas he seldom lives in or even sees, this is about “DAMAGE to the BRAND.”

That’s what all this media furor has been about…protecting the brand and ensuring that the NFL is not dragged through the public relations mud (hmmm) based on the actions or irresponsibility of those under the shield. At this juncture, I doubt that the league is even contemplating taking action against the owner of the Philadelphia Drug Emporium – but they’d be advised to consider it.

Aren’t there 3 younger children still in the home? Andy Reid should be taking time off, not because of Britt and Garrett…but because of those 3.

But anyway, according to Goodell’s standards…he holds coaches to a higher standard than players which is why Wade Wilson got the suspension he did….sooooooo….I’m really not understanding why Reid hasn’t been suspended when illegal activity took place in his home and his vehicles….I know I heard over and over again all summer that Goodell does NOT need a conviction or indictment to suspend someone. Coaching in the NFL “is a priviledge” too…right?? Yep…..that’s what they said all summer.

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